Buckeye rolls past Highland 16-5 behind Minarchick’s five-RBI day

Buckeye broke the game open early and never let Highland recover in a 16-5 road win Thursday at Highland High School, with Cassie Minarchick driving in five runs to lead the Bucks’ offense.

The decisive stretch came in the first two innings, when Buckeye piled up six runs and seized control. Minarchick started the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI single to center field. Ava Piovarchy followed with an RBI single down the right-field line, and Ryenne Ford brought home another run on a groundout that turned into a double play. The Bucks added three more runs in the second, again with Minarchick in the middle of it. Her single plated two runs, and Eleanor Shaw followed with an RBI double as Buckeye pushed its advantage to 6-0.

Buckeye kept the pressure on throughout the afternoon. Juliana Melillo lined a single down the left-field line in the third inning to make it 7-1, and the lineup continued to produce from top to bottom. Minarchick finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and five RBIs, scoring once in the first, driving in two more in the second, then adding an RBI walk in the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Batting in the No. 9 spot, Maddie Wilhelm showcased the depth of the order by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Shaw reached base four times, going 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

The Bucks collected 19 hits in all. Melillo, Piovarchy and Kenzie Cenname joined Shaw and Wilhelm with multiple-hit games, while Sarah Michaels drew two walks as Buckeye showed patience at the plate and finished with six walks. The Bucks also turned aggressive baserunning into another advantage, swiping eight bases. Minarchick, Kelsey Morano, Michaels and Wilhelm each stole multiple bases.

In the circle, Lilly Young gave Buckeye a steady start. The right-hander worked six innings, allowing six hits and four runs, only one of them earned, while striking out six and walking three. Olivia Piovarchy added relief work for the Bucks. Defensively, Buckeye turned one double play. Highland also turned a double play, and Muri led the hosts with two hits. Denholm drove in two runs for Highland from the No. 7 spot in the lineup.

Buckeye now moves on to Saturday’s game at Brunswick after an all-around performance that featured timely hitting, pressure on the bases and a strong outing from Young in the circle.